Congealable liquid conditioning device



April 1947. R. e. DYKEMAN ET AL 2,419,634

CONGEALABLE LIQUID CONDITIONING DEVICE Filed Sept. 3, 1942 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Ill April 29, 1947. R. G. DYKEMAN ETAL CONGEALABLE LIQUIDCONDITIONING DEVICE Filed Sept. 5, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 April 29, 1947.R. e. DYKE MAN ETAL 2,419,634

CONGEALABLE LIQUID CONDITIONING DEVICE Filed Sept. 5, 1942 sSheets-Sheet 3 Patented Apr. 29, 1947 atlases CONGEALABLE LIQUIDCONDITIONING DEVICE Reuben G. Dykeman, Joseph 0. Shaw, and Allan G.Hoffman, Dayton, Ohio, assignors to United Aircraft Products, Inc.,Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application September 3, 1942,Serial No. 457,216

9 Claims. (Cl. 2572) This invention'relates to devices for conditioningcongealable liquids and, more particularly, to heat exchangers adaptedfor use in oil circuits for internal combustion engines.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a conditioning devicefor quickly bringing a viscous liquid, such as oil, from a congealed orhighly viscous condition to a fluid state of proper consistency, andhaving once obtained such proper consistency, to maintain the liquidwithin the desired temperature range without overheating, on the onehand, and without danger of re-congealing as a result of over-cooling,on the other hand.

It is intended, by this invention, to overcome several specificproblems, among which is that which arises due to varying temperatureconditions encountered in the use of a lubricating oil for engines, andmore especially in vehicular engines where quick starting of the latteris required at low temperatures without first preheating the same andwhereinearly attainance of full power output of the engine is essentialunder certain conditions, as for example in combat. Further it isintended, by this invention, to overcome the problem of excessive heatwhich might be developed in the oil during the running period of theengine and which heat must be rapidly dissipated therefrom into thesurrounding atmosphere, although the vehicle during its operation maypass through climatic conditions involving temperature changes rangingfrom extreme heat to extreme cold, and in which latter event,recongealing of the oil in a radiator type of heat exchanger wouldresult in great danger to the entire lubricating system and consequentdamage to the engine.

Another object of this invention is to provide, in a radiator type heatexchanger for oils and the like, a system and means for distributing thehot oil throughout a radiator core section, the core section beingcontained in a shell or chamber constituting, in effect, a reservoir inan oil circuit and containing a considerable mass of the oil. By thisinvention it is intended to inject the hot liquid into the main body ofthe mass so as v to quickly establish certain circuits through welldefined flow passages for the hot oil through the mass when the mass ishighly viscous and use of warm oil only in the circuit is desirable, butultimately to establish flow throughout the entire core structure, thusto utilize all of the oil in the circuit when such oil is hot and use ofall available oil is desirable. Furthermore, it is herein proposed toreconcile these almost opposed theories of operation without anynecessity for providing moving structural parts within the core section.

A further objective is the provision, in a core structure includingbaflles for lengthening the normal path of oil flow through the core,and cooling tubes which resist the flow, of means for by-passing certainof the baffles and tubes when congealed oil is contained therebetween,and for constantly increasing the length of the paths through the coreas the oil between the baliles and tubes becomes more fluid. Morespecifically, it is intended to provide a conditioner having certainzones to which heat is transferred more quickly than others when themain body of the liquid therein is viscous, and to by-pass the oil, atfirst, through such zones. A cognate object, however, is to prevent anysubstantial portion of the oil from short-circuiting through those Zonesafter the oil has become heated. In event the oil in the core sectionshould suddenly become cooled and congealed in some of the passages, itis intended that the courses of the hot oil will revert to the by-passzones until such time as passages may be re-established through theblocked zones, without appreciable sudden increase in pressure on theinlet side of the conditioner, and without substantial loss in pressure'or volume'on the outlet side. It is thus intended to provide aconditioner which, while subject at any time to the gambit ofconditions, nevertheless, will insure continuous flow of congealableliquid at uniform temperature and viscosity.

In the structural manifestations of these objectives, it is proposed toprovide, as one form of the invention, a cylindrical body memberenclosing a core section composed of a plurality of open-ended air orother coolant conveying flow tubes between which the liquid to beconditioned, is caused to flow, said tubes being so spaced or arrangedwith respect to each other as to provide high resistance and lowresistance liquid flow paths therebetween. Mounted within the bodymember between the inlet and the outlet thereof, are a plurality ofspaced transversely extending bafiles for increasing-or lengthening theliquid flow paths therethrough. Also extending through the core section,in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the first mentioned baffles, isa centrally located bafile means formed to provide channels throughwhich some hot oil may by-pass some of the fiow paths between thetransverse baiiles when some or all of the flow paths between the latterare blocked by congealed oil.

In addition to the above, an object is to teach a new method forthermally conditioning a congealable liquid by'initially providing zonesof heated liquid in a mass of congealed liquid, and injecting someheated liquid into such zones while injecting other of the heated liquidinto the mass surrounding the heated zones.

' These and other objectives will appear from 3 the followingspecification and drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation diagrammatically showing one side of theapparatus;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2 lookingfrom the right of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing a detail of the centralportion of the core diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the elements shown in Fig.4;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the central bafile;

Fig. '7 is a section along the line 'II of Fig. (i; and

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the central bafile with the side platesremoved.

Fig. 9 is a view in vertical longitudinal section, taken substantiallyalong the line 99 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, reference numeral I denotes a cylindricalshell preferably formed of sheet metal and surrounding the main bodyportion of the conditioner, the inner elements of which form a coresection broadly of the type found in radiators and oil coolers forinternal combustion engines for automobiles, airplanes and othervehicles.

Inside shell 1, a plurality of bafiles 2 are disposed in parallel spacedrelation to one another, the baffles preferably being of sheet metalsecured at their outer edges to the inner side of shell I and at theirinner edges, to a central bafile 29. As seen best in Fig. 2, the bafflesare disposed to either side of the central bafile and are each formedwith an opening adjacent one end, said openings being consecutivelystaggered so as to provide interconnecting ports 4 at. their oppositeends and to define a zigzag passage through the core, see Fig. 1. i

The core structure further includes a plurality of heat exchangeelements in the form of air or. other coolant conveying. tubes 3dispersed throughout the interior of shell I and extending axiallytherethrough from end to end, the ends of the tubes being open so as'toallow a coolant, such as air, to pass freely therethrough. The tubes aresupported in spaced relation to one another by forming the same withflared hexagonal ends Ii, described more fully below, so that the spacesI8 and is, (see Fig. 5), between the tubes will coo erate to form myriadtortuous passages, of low and high resistance, respectively, to thepassage of liquid therethrough.

Surrounding shell I, a cylindrical jacket 5 is disposed in radiallyspaced relation to the shell so as to define an annular chambersurrounding the shell, the chamber constituting a feed chamber orpassage and having an inlet 6 adapted to be connected to an oil line(not shown) leading from an engine.

A partition 5| is disposed adjacent the inner end of the inlet 6 toprevent the incoming oil from passing directly to and through theconduit outlet I2 and to cause'said oil to first flow through thechamber formed by the jacket 5.

In its lower side, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3, shell I is provided with aninlet opening I so that the interior of the core section within theshell communicates with the chamber enclosed between shell I and jacket5, the inlet 1 preferably being diametrically opposite inlet 6;

In addition to inlet opening I, shell I also is provided witha'plurality of spaced diffusion or bleeder openings I5 which connect thechamber 4. formed by the jacket 5 and shell l with the interior or thecore section.

The outlet elements for the chamber between shell I and jacket 5, andfor the main body of the core section inside shell I, are formed invalve mechanism 8 mounted on bosses 9, 9| which are affixed on theoutside of shell I and extend through the jacket 5. As seen best in Fig.1, an outlet it extends through the wall of shell I immediateiy oppositethe opening in jacket 5 and is surrounded by boss 9 so as to establishcommunication from the interior of shell I through an outlet conduit 52in valve mechanism 8, conduit I2 being, in turn, adapted for connectionwith an oil line (not shown) leading back to an engine. Valvemechanism 8is completed by a valve I3 movably mounted to close the outlet openingthrough boss ii! leading from jacket 5, said valve being normally biasedtowards closed position by spring Hi, which may be of thesimpleexpansion type diagrammatically illustrated, and so ad- J'us ted as toyield under a predetermined amount of pressure from within for allowingthe valve to open, or of the thermostatic type and arranged to ciose andopen the valve, respectively, in the presence or. absence ofpredetermined heat.

The operation of the structure thus far described is as follows:Assuming the conditioner is connected in an oil line or an internalcombustion motor, and that the interior of shell I is filled with highlyviscous or congealed oil, Warm oil from the motor, when the latter isstarted, will pass through chamber inlet 6 and around the chamberbetween shell I and jacketi as indicated by the outermost arrows inFig. 1. The interior of shell I being, at this time, momentarily blocked031 the congealed oil contained within the shell between tr e bafiles 2and between tubes 3, sufiicien-tpressure will be imposed upon valve I3to overcome spring It so that the outlet surrounded by boss s: will beopened, thus establishing a flow circuit generally indicated by dottedline A, between inlet 5 and outlet conduit I2, whereby the incoming hotoilwill by-pass the core or interior of shell I so long as the oilwithin the latter is in highly viscous or congealed state.

As the hot oil flows around the chamber, some of it will be injectedthrough the diffusion or leeder openings Is into the mass of congealedoil between the tubes and baffles and, through intirnate interminglingwith the congealed oil, create free zones of heatedoil, at first nearthe inlet conduit 6 and the outlet leading from the core or shell I,through boss 9, and then through the remainder of the core sections.However, as the oil within shell I is heated by the oil flowing throughthe surrounding chamber defined by the shell I and jacket 5, theviscosity thereof will be reduced so that passages between the tubes 3will become established, thus to allow the oil to flow from inlet 7through the core and out through core outlet Iii. Simultaneously, as theoil becomes heated and less viscous, the pressure against valve I3 willbe alleviated so that spring It will close the valve, whereupon, theflow circuit will be as indicated by line B in Fig. 1. Since theviscosity of the oil decreases as the temperature rises, the spring I4,if it be thermostatic as suggested may be adjusted to close valve I 3when exposed to heat sufficient to warm the oil to a predetermineddegree within shell I.

In order'to establish certain tortuous flow paths through the corestructure within shell I, the tubes 3 are, in certain areas, so spacedfrom one anotheras to provide passages I9 of considerable greatercross-section and of lesser resistance to liquid flow than theresistance to liquid flow occurring in passages l8 between most of tubes3.

As best seen in Figs. 4 and 5, the hexagonal ends ll of the tubes 3 aredisposed in abutting relation with one another and are connectedtogether to form the closed portion of the end walls of the core.However, at certain intervals, a tube 3 is omitted and a hexagonal plugl6 substituted therefor so that whenthe core is viewed in end elevation,as in Figure 2, it will be seen that a pattern of devious wide andspaced passages l9 are provided. 7

In order to establish a more perfect distribution of the hot oilthroughout the central portion of the congealed mass of oil in the coreso as to establish certain zones of heat distribution, and quickly, toestablish how through the core section even before the spaces l8 and !9between tubes 3 become entirely free, a central baffle 20 is mounteddiametrically through the core, the baffle 28 having a pair of notches'2! of inverted V shape extending upwardly from the lower edge thereofas seen best in Figs. 8 and 9. Next, a pair of plates 22, preferablywedgeshaped, are secured on each side of plate 20 to mask each notch,thereby forming channels extending from the bottom and partially throughthe baflle 29. It should be noted that plates 22 terminate short of thelower edge of baffle 28, as indicated at 23, so as to allow oil to enterthe channels formed between the plates, and that injector outlets 24 areprovided for squirting hot oil into certain select zones adjacent theplates.

Referring to Figs. 3 and 5, it will be seen that wide channels iii areprovided between tubes 3 at injector outlets 24 by substituting halfplugs H in the end walls, and that half plugs, and half tubes 3' and ITrespectively are mounted, where necessary, adjacent the center bafile28. Preferably, dummy tubes are also provided opposite the difiusionopenings wherever a full tube 3 would block the openings.

Referring particularly to Fig. 9, it will now be apparent that when hotoil first enters inlet 1, it Will immediately pass into notches 2! inbaflie 2!], and flow out through injector outlets 2 thus by-passing thelower portion of the core, so that a substantially lesser portion of thecongealed oil need be broken through before a complete circuit throughthe core is established. Initial passage through slots 2! is facilitatedsince the metal from which bafile 2!? and plates 22 are formedconstitutes a relatively good heat conductor so that the oil withinslots 2i and ad- J'acent bafile 26 will be pre-heated by heattransmitted through shell i from the hot oil in the surrounding chamber.Then, as the main body of oil within shell I becomes heated, only asmall portion of the oil entering inlet 1 will pass through slots 2!which, when the oil is fluid, are relatively restricted in comparisonwith the aggregate cross-sectional area between the tubes 3 and baffles2.

While, in the description of the invention it has been described as anelement in a lubricating oil circuit, this by no means exhausts thepossibilities of application, since the method and structural conceptsare readily adaptable to other uses, where heat transfer to and from acongealable liquid is contemplated, without avoiding the followingclaims.

We claim:

1. In a conditioner for congealable liquids, a

cylindrical shell having inlet and outlet means therein, a plurality ofbafiles extending between the ends of said shell transverse to the flowof said liquid from said inlet means to said outlet means and having aplurality of respectively staggered openings therethrough forming atortuous flow passage, a bafiie plate in said shell perpendicular tosaid bailles and having one edge adjacent said inlet means, said bafflehaving notch means extending therein from said one edge, plate meanssecured to said baffle plate for masking said notch means whereby todefine passage means through said plate means, said plate meansterminating short of said one edge and having openings therethroughwhereby liquid flowing through said passage means will by-pass saidtortuous fiow passage.

2. A lubricant conditioning device for use in a lubricant circulatingsystem, wherein a lubricant, the viscosity of which varies progressivelywith changes in temperature, is circulated under pressure and subjectedto heat, including a radiator body having inlet and outlet openings andformed to provide a flow path therebetw'een, said radiator body havingcentral and peripheral areas, means for introducing a portion of thelubricant flowing under heat and pressure into the body in one of thesaid areas thereof at spaced points between the inlet and outlet of thebody, walls forming passages independent of the last named meansdisposed within the body and originating adjacent the inlet opening ofthe body for by-passing another portion of the lubricant flowing underheat and pressure into the lubricant contained within the body, saidpassages terminating within the other of the said areas of said body,and means for maintaining pressure on all of the lubricant and forrelieving said pressure when the same reaches a predetermined degree,whereby to reduce the viscosity of the lubricant within the body and tomaintain the same in a condition of fluidity.

3. A conditioning device for congealable liquids including a shelladapted to contain liquid and having an inlet and an outlet, a bafiiemember within the shell and having a notched lower portion disposedadjacent to said inlet, and perforated plates secured to said baffie andcovering said notched lower portion for forming a bypass conduitextending from the inlet of the shell to a point intermediate the inletand outlet of the latter.

4. A conditioning device for congealable 1iquids, including a shellhaving an inlet and an outlet, a baflle within the shell having one ofits edges provided with a plurality of spaced notches and disposedadjacent to the shell inlet, and perforated means connected to each ofthe sides of the bafile and covering said notches so as to form a liquidby-pass extending from a point adjacent the shell inlet to a pointintermediate the inlet and outlet of the latter.

5. In a device of the class described, an assembly of tubes wherein afluid which acts as a coolant and a liquid which is congealable pass inheat exchange relationship, said assembly of tubes having central andperipheral areas, a shell enclosing said tube assembly, means includinga port defining an inlet for the admission of liquid to said tubeassembly, outlet means for the discharge of liquid from said tubeassembly, means defining a main flow path through said tube assemblybetween said port and said outlet means, conduit means for conductingliquid to said port, continuously open passes of relatively smaller flowcapacity than said conduit means between said conduit means and one ofthe said areas of said tube assembly for by-passing a part of the liquidflowing in said conduit means directly into said one area, and separateand additional passes of relatively smaller flow capacity than saidconduit means originating adjacent said port and leading to the other ofthe said areas of said tube assembly for lay-passing a part of theliquid supplied said port directly into said other area.

6. In a device of the class described, an assembly of tubes wherein afluid which acts as a coolant and a liquid which is congealable pass inheat exchange relationship, said assembly of tubes having central andperipheral areas, a shell enclosing said tube assembly, inlet means foradmitting liquid to said tube assembly, outlet means for the dischargeof liquid from said tube assembly, means defining a main fiow paththrough said tube assembly between said inlet means and said outletmeans, conduit means arranged in heat exchange relation to one of thesaid areas of said tube assembly for conducting liquid to said inletmeans, a plurality of passes of relatively smaller flow capacity thansaid conduit means for Joy-passing a part of the liquid flowing throughsaid conduit means directly into said one area of said tube assembly,and passages within the enclosure defined by said shell and formingcontinuations of said conduit means extending in by-passing relation tosaid main flow path to selected terminal positions within the other ofthe said areas of said tube assembly for discharging another part of theliquid flowing through said conduit means directly into said other area.

7. In a device of the class described, an assembly of tubes wherein afluid which acts as a coolant and a liquid which is congealable pass inheat exchange relationship, said assembly of tubes having central andperipheral areas, a shell enclosing said tube'assembly, openings in saidshell defining an inlet and an outlet for the congealable liquid whichflows therebetween through said tube assembly, a jacket surrounding saidshell and in spaced relation thereto, means for supplying the spacebetween said jacket and shell with liquid for cooling, the liquidflowing through said space in heat exchange relation to the peripheralarea of said tube assembly to said inlet, and passages within said tubeassembly for discharging uncooled liquid directly into the central areaof said tube assembly, said passages being open at their opposite endsand communicating at their one end with the space between said jacketand said shell and communicating at their opposite ends with theinterior tube assembly in the central area thereof.

8. In a device of the class described, an assembly of tubes wherein afluid which acts as a coolant and a liquid which is congealable pass inheat exchange relationship, said assembly of tubes having central andperipheral areas, a shell enclosing said tube assembly, inlet meansincluding a port for admitting liquid to said tube assembly, outletmeans for the discharge of liquid from said tube assembly, meansdefining a main flow path through said tube assembly between said portand said outlet means, conduit means arranged in heat exchange relationto one of the said areas of said tube assembly for conductin liquid tosaid 'port, and passages within the enclosure defined by said shell ofsmaller flow capacity than said conduit means originating adjacent saidport and leading in by-passing relation to said main flow path toselected points in the other of the said areas of said tube assembly fordischarging a part of the liquid supplied said port directly into saidother area.

9. Ina device of the class described, an assembly of tubes wherein afluid which acts as a coolant and a liquid which is congealable pass inheat exchange relationship, said assembly of tubes having central andperipheral areas, a shell enclosing said tube assembly, a conduit forconducting liquid to said tube assembly, continuously open passes ofrelatively smaller flow capacity than said conduit means between saidconduit means and one of the said areas of said tube assembly forby-passing a part of the liquid flowing in said conduit means directlyinto said one area, a port additional to said passes communicating saidconduit means with said tube assembly and defining the main inlet tosaid assembly, outlet means from said tube assembly, means defining a,flow path through said tube assembly between said inlet port and saidoutlet. and further passes of relatively smaller flow capacity than saidconduit means originating adjacent said port and leadin to the other ofthe said areas of said tube assembly for bypassing a part of the liquidsupplied said port directly into said other area.

REUBEN G. DYKEIAAN, JOSEPH C. SHAW. ALLAN C. HOFFMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,992,796 Young et a1 Feb; 26,1935 2,223,655 Askin Dec. 3, 1940 2,307,300 Ramsaur Jan. 5, 19431,860,731 Cole May 31, 1932 1,906,540 Clarke May 2, 1933 2,223,662 LearDec. 3, 1940 1,617,433 Beisel Feb. 15, 192'? 1,455,738 Rushmore May 15,1923 2,293,960 Young Aug. 25, 1942 2,343,867 Hofi'man Mar. 14, 19442,343,869 Shaw Mar. 14, 1944 2,289,097 Brinen July 7, 1942 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 593,062 French -1 May 14, 1925 248,035 BritAug. 25, 1925 460,047 Brit Jan. 20, 1937 102,385 Swiss Nov. 18, 1922310,157

Brit Apr. 25, 1929

